


To Heal A Wound

by Aerilon452



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: A/U, Complete, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:53:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28005714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aerilon452/pseuds/Aerilon452
Summary: Follow up to the fic for TO MAKE A DEAL
Relationships: Belle & Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Comments: 8
Kudos: 17





	To Heal A Wound

**MORNING:**

Belle woke to the sweetest sensation in the world – secure in the arms of Rumple. He was pressed in tightly against her back with little puffs of his breath teasing the nape of her neck. She quietly giggled while she slowly turned over to study him. His face was relaxed, his lips slightly parted, and there were wisps of his brown hair falling across his eyes. She hadn’t had many opportunities to see him like this with all of his defenses down, trusting enough to actually sleep beside her.

Belle lifted her hand, brushing aside a few strands of his soft hair. He didn’t even twitch as she drew the tip of her finger down the bridge of his nose, feeling the slight bump. She traced his bottom lip next, hoping to coax a sleepy moan from him. Still, he remained deep in sleep. So, she trailed her fingers down his chin, along the line of his throat, over his chest until she encountered the first button of his pajama shirt.

Belle had a moment where she could stop and patiently wait for him to wake up so she could see the light of love in his eyes when he saw her first thing in the morning. She wasn’t going to wait. She was going to indulge in some impish behavior that she might’ve picked up from him during their time at the Dark Castle. Quickly and carefully, she unbuttoned the black silk, exposing his chest. She took a moment to marvel at him – at his body frozen in time from the moment he became the Dark One. Her hand touched the place where one of Robin’s arrows had struck him. The moment he’d been shot was the moment her heart had stopped.

Belle broke free of the memory, slipping her hand down the center of his chest, heading towards the band of his pants. She grinned a wicked little grin as her hand disappeared beneath the elastic band. Her fingers had barely brushed against his semi-hard length when he shifted ever so slightly. His body moved closer to her; his lips pressed to her brow. Belle wrapped her hand around him, giving him a slow stroke.

Even in sleep, the first jolt of pleasure reached Rumple’s mind. “Belle…” he moaned her name even though his eyes remained shut. He felt her smile – it was as rueful as any he might have given her. His body tensed with each of her strokes. Rumple couldn’t keep from gasping. He didn’t want to come until he was inside her. Angling his head, he took her lips, kissing her as passionately as her could while the last vestiges of sleep still clung to his mind. Taking her hand from him, he moved so he was situated between her thighs.

Belle giggled. She loved the weight of him above her. While she gazed deeply into his eyes, her hands pushed his pants down, knowing exactly what he wanted. It was what she wanted too. In one smooth thrust, he was inside her. She pushed her head back into the pillow, their moans filled her room. Her right hand came up to cup his face and her left settled on his side, her nails biting into his skin.

Rumple didn’t take the time to savor the sweetness of Belle’s grip on him. He was starved for her and needing that pleasurable release he could only find in her arms. They moved together, bringing each other to the brink. A concerto of gasping moans, of squeaks from the mattress filed the room, driving them on towards the finish. “Belle…” he panted her name.

Belle closed her eyes for a second, letting this moment be branded into her memory. Each of his thrusts bound him closer to her – body and soul. “Yes… Rumple…” she cried out, rising to meet him each time. “Harder…” she begged. She was already so close. “Do it harder!”

Rumple didn’t stop to consider the full weight of her words. He drove into a little harder, a little faster until he was all but blind to everything but her. There was no other sound for his ears except for her moans, her whimpers, and the way she gasped his name. Thrusting into her again, he felt the first spark of her orgasm. Holding her gaze, he pulled nearly all the way out of her. Before she could say anything, he buried himself deeply inside her. His body tensed as he came inside her.

Belle clung to him, her body awash with waves of pleasure. She held him against her while she shuddered from her release. He hid his face against the side of her neck, his lips giving her little panting kisses. Belle could hardly form a coherent thought, she felt too good.

As soon as Rumple was able, he held himself up. Looking down on her, he saw the pleasure in her eyes, making her blue depths glow. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he had to ask, to make sure he hadn’t gotten too carried away. The blissful smile on her face told him as much as he needed to know, but he still waited for her to confirm it.

“You didn’t hurt me,” Belle tried to speak clearly, but she heard the way she slurred her words. To reassure him, she kissed him. When he tried to pull away from her, she tried to tighten her hold on him, but her body was languid. She couldn’t hold a thought if she tried right now. “Stay…” she mumbled, the word tripping off her tongue.

Not ready to lose this connection to her, Rumple stayed where he was. He kissed her chin, the soft line of her jaw, her rosy cheeks, and then her sweet lips. If he had the power, he would slow down this moment of time and live in it for the rest of his life. There had never been a woman in his life he was more connected to than Belle. It was as if she had been made solely for him. True love was the most powerful magic and he had it with Belle. He had to protect it, even from his selfish actions and his cowardly choices. The deal they made yesterday would help to ensure that. “My clever little Belle,” he whispered, nuzzling her cheek with his nose.

“We’ll need a shower before breakfast,” Belle murmured, bringing her arms up to drape over his shoulders. She smirked at him, letting him know she heard his ‘clever’ comment.

Rumple chuckled darkly. “We’ll never fit in that little room you call a bathroom. There is, however, a giant shower at home with more than enough room for both of us,” he offered, “and after, I could make you breakfast.”

“Pancakes?” Belle asked hopefully. Those were quickly becoming her favorite meal to have in the morning.

“Whatever you want,” Rumple promised. “A little magic, and before you blink, we’ll be home.”

Yesterday, the thought of going home had scared Belle. She thought they weren’t ready for it. So much had happened between them in the span of a single night and going home wasn’t as frightening as it had seemed. “Okay, but just a little.”

Rumple smiled and together they vanished in a plume of crimson colored magic. When they reappeared, they were in the master bath, steam from the hot water billowing around them, and they were fully naked. Belle clung to him, but this time she didn’t react out of shock when he used his power. “Home sweet home,” he spoke as the water rained down on them.

Belle leaned her head back, letting the water cascade over her face, soaking through her hair. His lips touched the hollow of her throat, making her moan. Looking at him through the fall of the water streaming down her face, she couldn’t help the happiness that pervaded her. It was good to be home with him. The sweet afterglow of their morning lovemaking subsided, turning down to a slow simmer. There were no defenses between them at the moment and she felt safe in asking him more questions about his past, knowing he would answer her. “Did you really crush Milah’s heart?” she asked, small droplets of water flicked off of her lips with each word she spoke.

A litany of excuses and justifications ran through Gold’s mind, and more than a few nearly tumbled off his tongue. Solemnly he nodded, saying, “Yes, I did. I was angry and I wanted to hurt her as badly as she hurt me and Bae.” He hadn’t been the Dark One very long when he’d crossed paths with Hook – and ultimately Milah. The rage and pain rushed through him, pushing away his desire to obtain the magical bean that would take him to Baelfire. “Killing her in front of Hook was a bonus,” he added before he thought better of it. He had resolved to be honest about his past, present, and future with Belle, and he was going to do that – no matter how dark it was.

“Rumple…” Belle lightly scolded. Having been threatened by the pirate captain and nearly killed by him twice, the little dark part of her that had been Lacey understood revenge.

“She let him beat me in front of his crew when I was human. I was nothing but a cripple trying to keep his family together the best way I could,” Rumple confessed in a harsh breath. He hadn’t spoken about that painful memory with anyone. “When I saw her alive and well and with him…. I just snapped.” Though the heat of the water had warmed his skin, he still felt the coldness of his rage towards Milah. “I reached into her chest and I ripped out her heart, crushing it before her eyes.”

Belle felt a chill run through her at his words. Rather than condemn him for his actions, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him against her. She stroked the back of his wet head, feeling him subtly shake in his arms. Whenever he talked about his past, it was always painful for him.

Pulling back from her, Gold looked Belle in the eyes, saying, “Even though I’ve broken it countless times, I could never crush your heart.”

“I know you couldn’t,” Belle replied without hesitation. When confusion crossed his face, she continued speaking. “I knew it the moment you gave up the gauntlet to save me from Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula. You even said, ‘They still won’t be able to harm you’.” He had looked terribly worried for her that night.

“I still threatened to crush it,” Rumple reminded her. He had been trying to cover just how deeply terrified he’d been for her.

“But you didn’t mean it,” Belle responded resolutely. She knew him – even back then.

Rumple brought his hand up cupping her left breast, feeling the beat of her heart under the tips of his fingers. “Your heart is too pure, too good for the likes of my dark touch,” he said. The thought of it being pulled from her chest repulsed him on such a deep visceral level.

“It doesn’t change the fact that my heart is yours forever.” Belle rested her hand on his chest, her palm over his heart. After that, they showered in silence.

******

In the kitchen, Gold wore another of his black suits, crimson colored tie, a gold tie clip, and black vest with a pocket watch. He stood at the stove, making pancakes. The mood in the house had changed after the shower he had with Belle. There was a new ease between them. All she really wanted from him was his honesty. Behind him, the sound of her footsteps caught his attention. “Breakfast is almost ready,” he said without turning.

“Good, I’m starving,” Belle said cheerfully. She fiddled with the hem of another silk shirt he’d left for her – red this time. He had set out several different outfits for her to wear, but none of them had interested her. For a little while, she wanted to feel as if they were the only two people in the world – like it used to be at the Dark Castle. 

Rumple turned off the burner, moving the griddle to a cold coil. He served up the pancakes and then picked up the plates, he turned to finally gaze at Belle. Is heart stopped at the sight of her – as it always did. “I thought you were going to get dressed?” he asked.

“Don’t you like what I’m wearing?” Belle teased as she closed the distance between them. She took the plates carrying them over to the dining table. It was a smaller version of the one he had at the castle. Momentarily setting the plates aside, she sat on the smooth surface right in front of the chair at the head of the table. She propped her right foot on the edge of the padded chair and draped her left knee over her right.

Rumple bit his bottom lip, enjoying this seductive side of her. When he stood before her, he parted her knees, fitting himself once again between her thighs. Slowly, he slid his hands up her legs before putting them flat on the table. His lips claimed hers, kissing her hard and fast. “My, my, I could make a meal out of you,” he said a bit breathlessly.

Belle giggled seductively and then sighed. “Ruby warned me,” she muttered.

“Warned you about what?” Rumple asked curiously.

“She said sex was a beast that had to be continually fed once awakened,” Belle said and then kissed him. He growled into her mouth as he sought to take control. She broke the seal of their lips, seeing the burn of desire in his eyes.

“Well, it wouldn’t be the first beast you’ve woken up,” Rumple teased. One of the rare times he’d actually been about to settle down and take a nap, Belle had come in and inadvertently woke him from his slumber. Before he barked at her for her impertinence, he took in the sight of her trying to carry an extra-large basket, piled high with laundry. Rather than see her fall and break her neck, he used magic to send the basket outside for her. He hadn’t even snapped at her. One grateful smile from her and his insides melted.

Belle leaned back on her forearms, tempting him to make good on his earlier comment of making a meal of her. As he was about to do just that, a loud knocking sounded at the front door. “Déjà vu,” she remarked sarcastically.

“Don’t…” Rumple kissed her, “…move.” Reluctantly, he walked away from her.

Outside the grand manor house, Baelfire – Neal as he liked to be called – raised his fist to knock again. He much be out of his mind to be at his father’s door. It wasn’t his papa he wanted to see, however. It was Belle.

“What?!”

The door flew open and for a moment Neal saw the angry Dark One. In the next second, that melted away to be replaced by the shock and hopeful gaze of his father. Suddenly, he felt like he was ten years old again and he hated it. “Papa…”

“Bae,” Rumple smiled weakly, unsure of what their current standing was. “I’m sorry…” he said, clearly not expecting his son to be on the other side of the door. “I thought you might be someone else.”

Neal was about to respond when he happened to glance over his father’s shoulder and catch sight of Belle loitering, wearing nothing but a shirt. “Well, this is suddenly awkward.” At his father’s questioning glance, Neal jerked his head towards Belle.

Rumple turned and saw Belle. “Little mouse, spying, are we?” he asked, wagging his finger at her. A little trace of his former persona bled through into his voice.

“I heard the anger in your voice. I thought I should be close by in case…” Belle trailed off unconcerned by his tone. She saw how uncomfortable she was making Baelfire, so she said, “I should get dressed.” Before she could even take one step, crimson smoke enveloped her, and when it dissipated, she was clothed in light blue summer dress.

“Sorry I interrupted…whatever I interrupted,” Neal muttered. “I’ll come find you later, Belle.”

“I’ll be in the Library this afternoon if you want to talk,” Belle stated. The tension from Baelfire eased away a little.

Neal nodded and walked away.

Rumple closed the door, left bereft by his son’s appearance and departure. “He will never forgive me,” he said dejectedly.

“He may,” Belle said soothingly, rubbing her hand up and down his back slowly.

Turning away from the door, Rumple wrapped his arms around her waist and asked, “Will you spend the morning at the shop with me?”

“Of course,” Belle agreed, nodding her head slightly.

“Then you can help decide what to do with ten spindles of gold,” Rumple replied with a little smirk.

**GOLD’S PAWN SHOP:**

“You really weren’t kidding,” Belle whispered in astonishment. She was part of the reason there were so many. There were days when she would watch him as he sat at the wheel, spinning. He would be so absorbed in what he was doing, he wouldn’t pay any attention to her. she had spent two hours sitting on the table, the tea growing cold, marveling at the peace she saw from him while he slowly turned the wheel.

“I was particularly troubled,” Rumple replied, taking a seat to start spinning.

“Hopefully, you’ll have fewer troubling days,” Belle said. She rested her hands on his shoulders, kissing the top of his head.

Rumple leaned his head back against his stomach and said, “With you by my side, I know I shall.” Her lips touched his forehead, and through that simple show of affection, he felt all the love she had for him.

Belle glanced at one of the clocks he had dotted about the shop. They spent the morning at home and now it was nearly afternoon. “I’ll have to go soon. Baelfire will be looking for me at the Library. Try not to spin so much straw into gold while I’m gone.”

Rumple frowned. “I’ll try,” he said with a hint of a groan.

“Do the books?” Belle suggested.

“Done,” Rumple answered.

“How about inventory?” Belle tried again.

“Already did it,” Rumple said.

“Read a novel,” Belle gently ordered.

Rumple shook his head. “I’ve already read all the books in here,” he informed her.

Belle got an idea. “Take us to the library and I’ll pick one out for you,” she said with a trace of mischief in her tone.

Crimson smoke appeared seconds after Gold waved his hands. In another second they were in her library and she was smiling sweetly at him. It seemed with each hour that went by, she was accepting his use of magic more and more. As long as she knew his intent with his power, he knew she could understand his need to use it.

Belle giggled, having handled being transported from the shop to the library without jumping in shock. “Close your eyes,” she said.

“Belle…” Rumple groaned.

“Close them,” Belle said again, playfully stern. When he did so, she silently crept through the shelves, looking for the perfect book. It didn’t take her long. She grabbed a thick leather-bound novel and returned to him. 

Rumple felt the weight of the book fall into his hands. Opening his eyes, he saw the title and asked, “Don Quixote? Are you trying to tell me something?”

“Don’t go tilting at windmills that aren’t there,” Belle suggested with a shrug and a smirk.

“I worry about what Bae wants to talk to you about,” Rumple said with a sigh.

“It’ll be fine,” Belle promised. She kissed his cheek and then softly commanded, “Stop obsessing and go read.” He wanted to argue, she could see it in his eyes, but he smirked at her instead. In a swirl of crimson smoke, he was gone. “I love you, Rumple,” she said a few seconds later. “No, I’m not talking to myself. I know you’re listening to me.” A hint of his sinister giggle filled the library. Shaking her head, she went to the stacks and started on the next section that needed to be properly arranged.

*******

Neal hadn’t meant to spy on her, but Belle seemed truly at peace when she was with the books. She studied each book before putting it in its proper place. There was such concentration on her face that he’d only ever seen from his father when he was sitting at the wheel. Not wishing to delay things between them any longer, he made his presence known. “Hey Belle!”

“Hey!” Belle smiled as she set aside the small stack of books she’d been carrying. “Is it afternoon already?” she asked coming closer to him. Neal was looking around as if trying to see if they were alone. “He’s not here,” she informed him.

“With my papa, you can never be too sure,” Neal replied skeptically.

“I gave him a book to read and asked that he not obsess over our conversation,” Belle replied, offering him a small chuckle hoping that it would put him at ease.

“How do you do that? How do you love him? How do you forgive him?” Neal asked, wanting to get right to the point. The only one who didn’t seem to have a complicated contentious relationship with Rumpelstiltskin was Belle. She stood by his side and even seemed to mollify his darker instincts.

“Okay,” Belle muttered. “No niceties then,” she said. Things between father and son were tense, and because of that she wasn’t offended. “I met your father when he was the beast and proud to be that way. He took every opportunity he could to remind that I was now his maid. There were days when he went out of his way to shock me, to belittle me, and downright anger me. Then, there were days when I saw glimpses of the man he tried so hard to bury. Those days are the ones I remember clearly.” She took a moment to remember those days and the small things Rumple did or the things he said. It brought a light smile to her lips.

“Your father would say that the man and the beast are one in the same, that you can’t have one without the other. Some days, when he was being truly monstrous and demeaning, I would’ve agreed with that. He’s lied to me. He broken my heart. He’s also saved me countless times. When you first met me, I wasn’t me. I was Lacey. She was someone who the beast couldn’t resist but it was the man that brought me back from that cursed persona. I know better than most that your father is flawed and there are days where he chooses to indulge his worst instincts. I also know that he’s trying to change. Day by day, little by little, he’ll be less beast and more man,” Belle said. “I can forgive him because I know he’s going to try harder to be better. I love him because he is my true love and as long as I have faith in that, in him, I’ll always be with him.”

“You know, I heard everything he said to you when he was dying. I had no idea my father was capable of that level of love for someone. In that moment, I saw a man I had never met, never imagined could exist inside him. I want to forgive him but it’s so hard to put aside the fear he’ll do it again,” Neal confessed, placing his hands on the table, bowing his head. Emotion was thick in his voice and tears were filling his eyes. 

Belle rested her hand on top of his nodding slowly. “You’ll forgive him when you’re ready and not because it’s what your father wants.”

“What if I never want to forgive him?” Neal asked. The question tortured him more than he was willing to admit.

“My father nearly had my memories erased rather than see me return to Rumple. That was a level of betrayal I never thought him capable of. It hurt, I won’t lie, and it was your father who helped to save me. I’ve forgiven my father for what he tried to do. It wasn’t easy, but I did it. I did it for me, to have peace in my heart,” Belle answered him as clearly and as honestly as she could.

“Thanks for the talk,” Neal said after having glanced at the clock. “I’m going to be late meeting Henry and Emma.” He took a moment, holding her hand, giving it a little squeeze, and then he was heading towards the door.

**GOLD’S HOUSE:**

**NIGHTFALL**

Rumple gazed down the line of Belle’s naked body, watching the way the soothingly warm bath water lapped against her with every breath she took. Rose petals clung to the top of her breasts, enticing his gaze and teasing him at the same time. She was the most enchanting beauty his eyes had ever beheld in all of his long life. Rumple had all the magic in the world, and yet, holding Belle in his arms was the most magical experience of his life. Gently, he pressed little loving kisses to her damp temple. He gave himself over to this moment, to her, and to the special love that burned between them.

Belle lounged against Rumple’s chest, feeling languid in the hot water. They had had a nice dinner at home, spent an hour reading, and then she surprised him by wanting to have a long soak in the tub together. He had given her one of his little wolfish grins as he held out his hand to her. The tub was larger than any she had seen, it easily fit the both of them with space left over. When she had come into the bathroom, candles were dotted about already lit, and the water was rising, decorated with red petals. It was truly decadent and romantic. Still, she couldn’t help but feel as if he was waiting to lull her into a sense of security before asking about her conversation with his son. “Are you going to try and charm the details of this afternoon out of me?”

Rumple chuckled, kissing her temple again. “I’ve been trying to defy my every instinct to do so,” he answered softly. The water and her body had helped to calm his mind, to keep his various machinations from overwhelming him. “You don’t have to tell me if do not wish to,” he added with another kiss.

“Hmm…” Belle muttered, moving her hand through the water. She scooped up a handful, letting it fall through her fingers. “I think he’s trying to find a reason to forgive you,” she said, dropping her hand back into the water, touching his right knee. She felt the faintest of flinches from him but didn’t call attention to it. Belle only ran her hand up and down, soothing whatever flash of dark memory had cropped up for him.

“Staying away from you had been hard, but staying away from him has been nearly impossible,” Rumple replied bringing his arms around her. “All I want to do is go to him, apologize a thousand more times…” he trailed off, shaking his head. He wanted to do better for his son, if only he could get the chance.

“He wanted to know how I could still love you given all that you’ve done,” Belle told him.

“And how do you still love such a dark man?” Rumple asked, his lips close to her ear. Teasingly, he gave her a little nip.

Belle turned her head and rubbed the tip of her nose against the edge of his jaw lightly. “I know your heart is black, but as long as I know that spark of goodness is still inside you, I will continue to stand by you. Every time I tried to walk away from you, I had a sense I was walking away from a future that I know I could never have with someone else.” Sitting up in the water, she turned slightly to face him and continued, “The day I fell in love with you, that was it. There was no one else for me. As maddening as you can be, I wouldn’t want to be in love with anyone else.”

Rumple placed his hand on his chest and with magic reached in, pulling his heart out. “It’s not all black,” he said as he showed it to her. The flickering of red was the last vestige of human emotion he had. “There’s still a spark or two left,” he said, turning his heart this way and that. She surprised him when she carefully took it from his hands. He watched in amazement as she pressed the nearly blackened mass to her lips, giving his heart a little kiss. His hand touched his chest, fingers digging into his skin when he felt the phantom press of her lips.

Belle lowered his heart, looking at it. The red was a little brighter, fighting back against the darkness. When she glanced over at Rumple, she saw the most peculiar expression on his face. “What?” Idly, she rubbed her thumb over the brightest spot of red, hoping to coax more of it to life.

“You still manage to surprise me,” Rumple said in a sigh. He took his heart from her, replacing it. When his heart was safely back in his chest, it felt a little lighter and a little warmer for having felt her love.

Belle held her right hand up, her fingers slightly spread apart. His palm touched hers, his fingers lacing with hers. “I love you,” she whispered, kissing his fingers. “I will tell you every day until you believe it deep down in your soul.”

A glimmer of wickedness played at the corner of Rumple’s eyes. “Shall we go to bed now?” He asked, leaning in to steal a kiss. She moaned her consent.

**MORNING:**

Baelfire had gotten little sleep. His mind was running a thousand miles a minute, going through all the reasons he shouldn’t forgive his father. Each time he thought he’d made up his mind, he thought of Henry. Was Neal really so different, after all? He’d abandoned Emma, leaving her to get arrested and have their child on her own. When it came right down to it, he wanted to set a better example for his son. Then there was what Belle had said to him. She offered forgiveness to have peace in her heart.

Neal leaned his head back as he sat on a bench waiting for Emma and Henry. Three of them were going to have breakfast before taking their son to school. His son… He could hardly believe it.

“Dad?”

Neal looked up and smiled at Henry, then at Emma standing behind her. She was as beautiful as ever. “Hey, kid,” he said, getting up. On impulse, he offed his hand to Emma, hoping she would take it. Maybe a little normalcy was what they all needed.

Emma rested her hand in Neal’s, smiling gently. Their fingers laced together and, as always, she felt that warm rush of love flow through her. “Sorry we’re running a bit late, Henry had trouble finding his shoes,” she said with a little laugh.

“I’m pretty sure Granny’s isn’t going to run out of breakfast,” Neal replied with a wink at his son.

“I don’t know, if all seven dwarves are there, they just might,” Henry quipped. The three of them laughed walking together down the street.

Fate was ever playful, intervening at the most peculiar times. Just as Neal, Emma, and Henry reached the white picket gate of Granny’s Diner, Rumpelstiltskin with Belle on his arm had just crossed the street. The five of them stood silently together for a moment. “Papa, would you and Belle like to join us for breakfast?” Neal asked. It was time to put the past to rest.

Rumple was stunned. He glanced at Belle, who gave him an encouraging smile. “We’d like that, provided it’s all right with Miss Swan.”

Emma shrugged. “It’s fine with me. What do you think, kid?” she asked Henry.

“Cool,” Henry stated. This was turning out to be a good day all around.

Emma, Henry, and Belle walked into the diner, getting two tables pushed together while everyone watched with avid curiosity. Neal and Rumple stayed outside for a little longer. Belle looked back at her love. He nodded to her, to let her know everything would be fine.

Outside, Neal stepped closer and said, “I have a million reasons to hate you, to never want to forgive you…”

“I know, Bae…” Rumple interrupted, placing his hand over his heart.

“No, no, let me say this,” Neal pleaded, holding up his hands to stop his father from speaking. “There’s only one good reason I know of to put all of this behind us. Henry. I want to be a good man my son can be proud of.”

“The good man I could never be,” Rumple said softly but without malice.

“Papa, you were a good man before… this…” Neal motioned up and down. He had been a good man for a few seconds after becoming the Dark One when he stopped the Ogres’ War and brought the children home. After that, it all went downhill.

“With Belle by my side, I have a chance to be better… for you… and for her,” Rumple admitted.

“You really love her, don’t you?” Neal wasn’t sure why he was asking. It was hard to imagine his father being with anyone other than his mother – even though they didn’t have the best relationship.

“With all my black little heart, Bae,” Rumple answered honestly. “It’s because of her, it’s a little less dark.” He could still feel the press of her lips against his beating heart. She had saved a part of his soul the day he caught her from the ladder – he just hadn’t known it at the time. She was his true love.

Neal patted his father’s shoulder, and together they walked into the diner where three people eagerly awaited them. The wound he had been nursing over his papa breaking their deal was starting to heal. It would be nice to have a family breakfast again. For once, normalcy reigned over the tiny town of Storybrooke.

**THE END**


End file.
